Operations Manager
Queens Avenue Surgery
Dorchester, DT1 2EWView on map(opens Google Maps in a new tab)
Salary
£34,000 to £37,000
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Not specified
Closing date
29 November 2026
16 days leftJob description
Queens Avenue Surgery is seeking an Operations Manager to run our day-to-day operations for our 8,750 patients. The successful candidate will act as t...
Your main duties include overseeing the daily operations of the practice, acting as the primary contact for operational issues and either resolving them or escalating them appropriately.
You will lead, coach, and develop the reception and administrative teams, taking responsibility for their line management, including annual appraisals, sickness absence management, recruitment, and planning staff rotas within the agreed budget.
A vital part of the role is ensuring the safe daily opening and running of the surgery, managing business continuity during system outages, and running the health, safety, and fire programme.
You must ensure the practice meets the 2026/27 GP contract access requirements, maintaining clear standards for care navigation so that no patient is asked to call back on another day.
Additionally, you will serve as the designated Complaints Manager under NHS regulations, ensuring all patient complaints are acknowledged within three working days, thoroughly investigated, and responded to.
You are also responsible for keeping relevant compliance evidence ready for CQC inspections.
Finally, the role involves providing first-line IT support, training staff on clinical systems, and actively promoting the use of the NHS App and online patient services.
Day-to-day operations
a.
Be
the first point of contact for operational issues from staff, clinicians and
patients, resolving them or escalating to the right person
b.
Plan
rotas and cover for reception and admin to match demand, within the agreed
staffing budget, approving overtime and cover
c.
Run
a short daily huddle and a weekly operations meeting
d.
Ensure
the practice opens and runs safely each day, including business continuity
during telephone or clinical system outages
e.
identify and act upon areas for operational improvement, in partnership with
the wider practice team
Reception and patient access
a.
Lead,
coach and develop the reception team, setting clear standards for care
navigation, telephone and front-desk service
b.
Ensure
the practice meets the 2026/27 GP contract access requirements, including:
o
No
patient asked to call back on another day
o
Non-urgent
requests answered by the end of the next working day
o
Clinically
urgent requests answered the same day
o
Opening
times displayed for every access route
c.
Use
call, online request and appointment data to manage service levels and staffing
d.
Maintain
reception protocols, scripts and care-navigation guidance agreed with the
partners
People management
a.
Line
manage reception and admin staff through one-to-ones, annual appraisals,
objectives and development plans
b.
sickness absence and attendance, including return-to-work meetings, absence
triggers and occupational health referrals
c.
performance and conduct through informal and first formal stages, including
investigations, escalating final stages to the Practice Business Manager and
partners
d.
Lead
recruitment and induction for reception and admin posts
e.
Promote
staff wellbeing and team culture, including acting on General Practice Staff
Survey results
Complaints and patient experience
a.
Act
as Complaints Manager under the NHS complaints regulations, ensuring complaints
are acknowledged within three working days, investigated and responded to
b.
Share
learning from complaints and feedback with the team and report themes quarterly
c.
Lead
the Friends and Family Test, the GP Patient Survey action plan and the Patient
Participation Group
d.
Manage
escalated patient situations, including the unacceptable behaviour process
Compliance, health and safety and CQC
a.
Keep
evidence for the Safe, Caring and Responsive key questions in an
inspection-ready library, so the practice is ready at five working days notice
b.
Run
the health and safety and fire programme: routine checks, fire drills,
workplace and COSHH risk assessments, first aiders and fire marshals
c.
Log
and investigate non-clinical significant events and incidents, sharing learning
d.
Keep
operational, HR and health and safety policies current
e.
Support
the Lead Nurse with infection prevention and control actions in non-clinical
areas, including cleaning standards
Queens Avenue Surgery is a patient-focused practice dedicated to serving our local community with high-quality, compassionate care. We pride ourselves on fostering a professional, friendly, and highly supportive team environment where every member is valued.
Our work ethic is collaborative; we believe in working together to achieve the best outcomes for our patients and supporting each other's professional growth. We promote a culture of continuous improvement where everyone counts and staff are permitted to make suggestions to enhance patient care.
We are deeply committed to the ongoing professional development of our staff, providing a full induction, regular clinical supervision, and opportunities for training to help you reach your full potential.
Other requirements
Essential: - Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check; - Occupational Health clearance; - Flexibility to work occasionally outside core office hours
Qualifications
Essential
- A good standard of education, with an expectation of having both GCSE Maths and English at Grade C/4 or above, or Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and English
Desirable
- Leadership and/or management qualification, such as ILM Level 3 or 5
- HR qualification, such as CIPD Level 3 or above
- Primary care management qualification (such as AMSPAR) or IGPM membership, or willingness to work towards one
Experience
Essential
- Handling complaints or difficult customer situations, including written responses
- Planning rotas and staffing to meet demand
- Leading a change or improvement project from start to finish
Desirable
- At least two years line management, including appraisals and absence management
- Managing performance or conduct through informal and formal processes
- Running a customer- or patient-facing service, such as reception, front of house or a contact centre
- Working in general practice or the wider NHS
- Preparing for a CQC inspection or similar regulatory audit
- Health and safety management and risk assessment
- Recruiting and inducting staff
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Understanding of safeguarding adults and children, confidentiality and UK GDPR
- Clear, calm and empathetic communication, including difficult conversations
- Ability to prioritise competing demands and solve problems quickly
- Using data and simple reports to manage service performance
- Confident with Microsoft 365 and quick to learn new systems
- Visible, approachable leader who sets clear standards and follows through
- Takes ownership and resolves issues rather than passing them on
- Resilient and composed under pressure
- High levels of integrity and discretion with confidential information
Desirable
- Good HR practice and employment law basics: absence, capability, disciplinary and grievance
- Coaching and developing staff
- Knowledge of the NHS complaints process
- Knowledge of the CQC assessment framework
- Knowledge of GP contract access requirements and care navigation
- Clinical system user skills (EMIS Web or SystmOne)
How to apply
Applications are handled entirely by the employer on the original advert. We do not collect CVs, supporting statements or application data.
Provenance
Source
NHS Jobs
First seen
12 November 2026
Last checked
13 November 2026
Salary, closing date and description are taken from the employer's advert. The original advert always takes precedence.
About the employer
NHS organisation
This listing was structured from NHS Jobs. Vacancy details and the application process remain the responsibility of the original source.
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